Robert Moulton, Lelena Zelinka cruise to victory at Back Mountain Catholic Youth 5K Run

DALLAS — Robert Moulton scored an easy victory in the Back Mountain Catholic Youth 5K Run on Saturday at Gate of Heaven Church.

The 23-year-old from Mountain Top — a past winner of the 5K — broke the tape in 17 minutes and 15 seconds. He outran second-place finisher, John Novack, also 23, from Tunkhannock, by 2:57. Francis Zelinka, 26, of Nanticoke, finished third in 22:45.

“It’s been a few years since I raced here,” said Moulton, who is the head track and cross country coach at Crestwood High School. “I forgot about just how tough this race, with all the hills, really is.”

Moulton and Novack ran together over the first quarter of a mile. Then Moulton took control of the race.

“I just kept up a consistent pace and gradually pulled away,” he said. “There are a number of tough hills, including one towards the end of the race that’s really challenging because at that point you’re really hurting. But I pushed that hill because I knew there was a nice downhill to the finish of the race.”

Moulton said the course is one of the toughest races, if not the toughest race, he’s ever run.

“I ran behind over the first half of the race,” she said. “And I passed the leader on a downhill. Once I took the lead, I held it to the finish.”

Last year’s winner, Marina Orrson, and second-place finisher, John Martino, didn’t race. They were saving themselves for Sunday’s Susquehanna River Runners Club’s 8K Run at the Susquehanna Warrior Trail in Shickshinny.

Proceeds from the 5K go to the Back Mountain Catholic Youth Group, an organization that does charity work both locally and at out-of-town locations.

Next year, according to Back Mountain Catholic Group minister, Francis Zelinka, the group will go to New York City to work with a crises pregnancy center. Locally, the group has worked with a number of service projects, including Ruth’s Place, Mother Theresa’s Haven, at various soup kitchens and at the Catholic Youth Center.